As my family gathers for the holidays this year, we all have our reasons to be thankful. In my case, it’s that after years of uncertainty, I have health care I can count on thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

I found an insurance plan on Colorado’s state marketplace, ConnectforHealthCo.com, that will cover what I need at a reasonable price: zero for my monthly premium. Yes, thanks to the number of plans on the marketplace and the tax subsidies in place from the Affordable Care Act, my monthly premium for my health insurance plan costs are covered completely. Talk about peace of mind!

I haven’t had insurance I could count on for a long time. Since my husband passed away in 2007, I’ve been working as a registered nurse, gaining and losing coverage through my employers, and many of them closed up or cut back in tough times. I’m very proud of my family, and my children had been helping me find treatment for my pre-existing conditions, which includes type 2 diabetes.

Before the Colorado Marketplace opened, I was quoted a health insurance premium at nearly $1,100 a month — just for me — from private insurers. But through Connectforhealth.com, I found out I qualified for a $500 tax credit to purchase insurance. Because of that financial assistance, I will pay nothing for my monthly premium.

I’m most relieved that my coverage will keep my health care concerns from affecting my older children as they start their young families. Even at 61, I can still continue working as a registered nurse as work comes along. And so can other people: The ACA means you can’t be denied for pre-existing conditions, there’s no lifetime caps on coverage, women can’t be charged more than men for their insurance, kids can stay on their parents insurance until age 26, and senior get many prescription drugs with no out of pocket costs.

So when I talk about the things I’m grateful for with my family this Thanksgiving, health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act will be on the list. I’m urging people to talk about it with their families – everybody needs health care – and to check and see if they can get covered. They can go to connectforhealthco.com. I also recommend calling the very helpful people at 855-PLANS-4-YOU (855-752-6749) and see what they qualify for.

You should talk about it; it matters. Because this Thanksgiving, I can truly be grateful for family, friends, and my health.

Rebecca Haug lives in Del Norte. Her late husband, Norman Haug, was a physican in Del Norte.